Category Archives: Winter Press Tour 2016

At a time when an armed group of yahoos have taken over government property in Utah and refuse to give it up, here’s a timely new series about a similar situation: An insular tribe of mountain folks who’ve inhabited their land for 200 years, who ignore an eviction notice from a big corporation that wants [...]

There is a palpable sense of dread in the performances of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as they are reunited, inevitably and seemingly against their will, in a latter day resumption of “The X-Files” (Fox, 10 p.m.). They were Mulder and Scully for nine seasons, as weird alien things happened all around them, and having [...]

The origins of “Baskets” (FX, 10 p.m.), Zach Galifianakis’ deepy funny new deadpan comedy began as an offshoot of his internet talk show — one so notorious it even snared President Obama as a guest. “God, I forgot I interviewed him,” Galifianakis said at the TV Critics Association summer press tour, on a panel that [...]

Courtesy of esteemed TV writer Dave Walker, who was conducting these charmingly low tech talks with his colleagues during this year’s TV Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif. I seem to be whispering in much of this. Didn’t want to disturb the china I guess.

Paula Kerger’s return to Pasadena Monday was a little less grand than her first time there this month. On New Year’s Day, Kerger, the PBS CEO, rode alongside Elizabeth McGovern on a big “Downtown Abbey” float in the Rose Bowl Parade. Monday, she merely took questions from reporters. It was the day after the premiere [...]

In the middle of a press conference for the Netflix comedy “Grace and Frankie” that wasn’t much funnier than the show itself, its actors began to say odd things. “Was that supposed to be funny” Lily Tomlin said. “Who gets 100 bucks?” Sam Waterston asked. Then when someone asked Jane Fonda how life has been [...]

There is a lot to recommend “Baskets,” the hilarious new Zach Galifianakis comedy that starts Thursday on FX, about a French-trained clown who gets a job as a rodeo clown in Bakersfield, Calif. Co-produced by Louis C.K. and directed by Jonathan Krisel (“Portlandia”), it’s got a star making turn by the super deadpan Martha Kelly [...]

With the final season of “American Idol” already begun, Friday was the final TV Critics Association panel for the show. For judge Jennifer Lopez, it was bittersweet. Being a judge for several seasons was never part of her original plan. “I planned to do it for one year when they first when I did it [...]

The first season of “I Am Cait” was one of E!’s biggest hits last year, only in part because it was one of the least expected spin-offs of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” What to do in season two? Road Trip! At one of the bet-attended panels at the TV Critics Press Tour Thursday, Caitlyn [...]

The purpose of the TV Critics Association winter press tour is to present an endless string of press conferences for a crush of new shows, and to provide brief availability of stars and executives for questions. And there a number of announcements squirreled away for the event as well, taking advantage of a room full [...]